City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Rochester, NY (97.0) and Virginia Beach, VA (97.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Rochester, NY goes as far as $100,900 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Rochester, NY to Virginia Beach, VA ($107,182 → $108,019), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,934 in Virginia Beach | $99,075 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Virginia Beach, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$76/yr.
66 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$76/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Rochester → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $62,640 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $75,788 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $90,838 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $108,019 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $127,646 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $63,380 | $62,794 (−0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $129,090 | $127,896 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $79,450 | $78,715 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $89,450 | $88,623 (+2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.